Urban Ore Place is a large salvage yard and reuse center that features house items: furniture, hardware, tools, and building materials section outside that's been around 40+ years! I used to visit to find that hidden gem or get inspired to transform a piece of unwanted item into a functional item like a planter or garden art. This place is great for a DIYer or handy man as items have so much potential but can be a bit overwhelming if you're looking for something specific. My recent visit was to find a replacement window for a mini table-top greenhouse I put together about 15 years ago. Unfortunately, after a recent windstorm, 1 window broke and needed to be replaced. The original windows I bought were from a salvage/building resource spot in SF. At the time, buying 6 windows cost me $70 at most. Now (15 years later) for the same quality it will cost you $35-$60/window at Urban Ore. Ouch! I guess these windows may be used for a remodel of an older home. They do have another section for cheaper windows but sadly they look like the one I'm trying to replace...some wood rot, flimsy, peeling and weathered as they're not protected from the elements. Staff outside are friendly and helpful. Worth a stop to check out but some pricing on items a bit higher. Parking inside the gate and along the street. read more

Urban Ore - Finding a window panel for my mini greenhouse - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

What even is this place!? I kept seeing this place pop on across social media, and at first it kept saying that it was in Oakland. I decided to look it up so my girlfriend, her sister, and I can go and check it outwhen. Lord behold it's in Berkeley! Ok, not a big deal, but we all kept thinking that they should fix the location across social media videos. We get there and parking isn't easy to find. You have to park in or around the other warehouses in the area or a couple of blocks away. After we found parking we made our way over and oh it was a huge disappointment to behold. I think we only stayed for a few minutes before we called it a bust and a waste of time. Do not, I repeat, do not believe the videos that these social media influencers are feeding your algorithm. There was so much trash, broken products, and some of the furniture that could be salvaged had ridiculous price tags on them. Some sets were incomplete, coffee mugs were cracked, tools rusted, and when asked about certain electronics working conditions they either didn't know or refused to check. Needless to say we were unimpressed and never coming back. read more

Let's get this straight - your store manager Claudio refused to allow me to help URBAN ORE from placing items that could be reused in to the garbage - your other staff had looks of amazement on there faces when he said "no" - no wonder your store has the highest turnover over of staff I've ever witnessed. These item had been donated to you with the understanding that you would do your best to keep their processions out of the landfill - you failed miserably. I took my concerns to social media - mostly the huge "buy nothing groups" that operate in Berkeley. People were disgusted but not surprised by Claudio's behavior - we've all watched for decades how he sells the best tools to his friends in his tool corral. Many have also noticed his illegal use of THOUSANDS of white post office tubs - that alone shows us his (and by default) Urban Ore's ethics. One last thing - comments were ignored on your Facebook page - messages were ignored - I realize that someone at Urban Ore hopes this would just blow over - it hasn't and it won't - people are disappointed in Urban Ore's attitude. Personally, after having bought thousands of dollars worth of items from you over a twenty year period I would say this comes down to the bad attitude of your store manager - over the years I have met many of your staff members who obviously believed in "zero waste" - they have all quit but the guy in charge of the shop floor obviously thinks it's just a catchy slogan to get people to give you their stuff for free. read more

Every time we're in the Bay Area, we make a stop at Urban Ore. It's one of our favorite places to treasure hunt, and we always find something unique. Huge bonus points for being dog friendly and having a restroom available. If you love thrifting and hidden gems, this place is a must-visit! read more

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Utter and complete upcycled chaos. If you come and dispel any fantasy about finding that rare hidden gem and want to see random home goods and architectural scraps its a nice place to visit. There are some cool random statues and displays put together that you can hunt for. Parking lot is huge with plenty of space and Urban Ore is in a GIANT warehouse so there is a lot to go digging through. I came with my family and my brother said one of his coworkers needed a very specific size and design screw and he was somehow able to find it here. I honestly don't know how. Outside has many glass windows, storage bins, old scrap metal, and a pretty large selection of toilets. Inside they try to organize it a bit by genre so you will see sections with old books, electronics, games, paper, etc.. but within these its still pretty chaotically organized. read more

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Came by this past weekend, and I was amazed by this place from the moment I stepped inside. It's a giant warehouse space organized into nicely labeled sections, and there's a massive yard out back with even more secondhand products for sale. The diverse offerings include bicycles and bike parts, furniture (sofas, tables, and more), lots of chairs, rugs, luggage, tools, electronics, speakers, musical instruments, CD's and records, remote controls, items that make you feel like you've gone back in time (like cassette tapes, vhs tapes, and floppy disks), books, toys, model trains, light fixtures, baskets, kitchenware/appliances, board games, crutches, building materials, doors, windows, bathtubs, toilets, garden sculptures, mirrors, cabinets and shelves, decorative items, artworks, plumbing hardware, door knobs, plastic cups and bottles, hats, shoes, and clothing. They even have scrap glass for mosaic or stained glass projects. We ended up purchasing some drum rings, as well as an awesome tote bag for just five bucks. The line at the front counter gets long at times, but it moves quickly with helpful workers making sure everything goes smoothly. You can even cut the line if you're paying with cash. No returns are allowed on items such as electronics and clothing. Dogs are welcome inside, with countless signs posted noting that it's not a poop and pee zone. There's also a sign near the toy section stating "unattended children will be given candy and a free puppy." read more

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Urban Ore is a great place to find items you may need in order to complete a house or apartment. They have a lot of items to choose from but what I've noticed is most tend to go here for tables, dressers, chairs and construction related items. I ended up getting a chair, a night stand and dresser the last time I came here but was accompanying a friend this occurrence who was in search for a table. I wound up realizing they had plenty of Oakland A's memorabilia on display which turned into a fun scavenger hunt for me being a lifelong diehard fan. While I didn't end up buying anything, I had a blast, searching for all of the A's items on display and appreciated seeing who I believe is the owner sharing a photo of the late great Rickey Henderson visiting here before he passed away last year. The only thing to look out for this parking can sometimes be complicated, and more than a lot of the items that peak your interest you're going to pass on due to prices being on the higher end. 4/5. read more

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I was told about this place and decided to come check them out. If you are into collecting, looking to do projects, working on the house or just looking for more stuff to add to your stuff. This is the spot for you. read more

This is a great, wonderful, amazing thrift shop/salvage yard. We purchased so many materials for our catio at half the price we would have gotten if we bought them new. I also purchased a set of frosted glassware that are so cool and I love having them in my house. Def a hoarder's paradise and you need to give yourself time to peruse the whole store because there's just so many things to look at. My recommendation would be to come in with a purpose or your whole day would disappear just looking through isle after isle of stuff. Have returned many times and plan to return many more times in the future. read more

Got time to kill? This place is phenomenal for random parts and have everything you've never seen under the sun,

Cool zero-waste store, epically if you're just looking for a fun activity one afternoon. The place has some really cool things, and just sections of everywhere from electronics to doorknobs. Staff is also very friendly, and the place is never too too busy. read more

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Urban Ore is a super interesting and eclectic thrift warehouse. It's huge and packed with a little bit of everything. You can find items for a bathroom or kitchen remodel, medical supplies, old baseball cards, musical instruments, and even canoes and grills. There's a bike section, an audio and electronics section, and a big collection of vinyl records and VHS tapes. They even had an arcade cabinet when I visited. The place feels like a thrift store dream. It's decently organized considering the size, but if you're looking for something specific, expect to do a bit of digging. Some items feel more like junk, but one person's trash might be someone else's treasure. Prices vary. Some things are a great deal, especially in the remodeling section if you're willing to search. Others feel a little high, especially for appliances, but overall it's still cheaper than buying new. There's also a good-sized parking lot right in front, which makes visiting a lot easier. I didn't buy anything this time around, but I had fun exploring and I'll definitely be back. read more

Urban Ore - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I really enjoy Urban Ore. Always interesting to walk around and see unexpected items I always find something I need that I never knew existed. I highly recommend this place. read more

This place is super cool. Any home project can definitely be started from here. They have doors, shutters, tubs, tables, toilets, like literally sooooo much. Super fun day just looking around. They've got a cool stash of records. So much to find here and the employees are super helpful and kind. read more

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Before stopping in to urban ore I checked when they closed, since it was later in the day , and online I swear it said 7 . I pulled into the parking lot at 4:50pm and walked in . The goal was to find brackets, but I had moved into a new place so finding unique decor was a plus. As I'm in the art section a heavier set Latino man said they were closing and he's about to close the gate . I was confused and asked if they were closing at 5 and he said yes . I explained I came for brackets and got side tracked with the art and gestured to the 30 dollar art piece I had picked up to lighten the mood , but he seemed rushed so I asked were the brackets were so I could quickly grab them and leave . He seemed frustrated that I asked and said "not today man " . Shocked I ended up putting the art piece back and leaving completely empty handed . I sat in traffic on my way to ACE hardware wondering if I should write this all out , then proceeded to tell the story to the wonderfully nice ACE hardware employee. I'm just hoping that thy change not only their online maps hours of operations to the correct ones but their customer service skills and hopefully they don't end up being just a glorified, overpriced , antique junk heap with a 2022 bed bug scare. read more

Literally OVERPRICED! Beyond over priced. Staff is terrible. No one greets or helps you. Waste of absolute time. Don't go here.

This is a great place to find all sorts of stuff at a good discount. Need a new window? Need a toilet, some random fixture? They have a huge selection of all sorts of things you could need for your DIY projects, a window or door replacement, furniture, etc. It feels like treasure hunting to me as they have a huge selection of things and every day new items are coming in. I have bought a wide range of things here such as windows, doors, fixtures, random parts for a kitchen cabinet, old movies, books, suitcases, furniture, office equipment, etc. They have a good sized parking lot but it does get busy on the weekends so you may need to wait or park on the street nearby. Fun place to explore and definitely worth a visit if you enjoy thrift shops and used items. read more

can say nothing bad about this jem ...love the saturday vibes all of the store reps want to make my experience better than the next...i've been able to purchase merch over the phone too...love everything about the mission too. i am vincent read more

Urban Ore - OUTSIDE PLENTY OF PARKING MOST OF THE TIME - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

Urban ore is a great resource and shines in several areas like finding old doors and windows to match the old houses in the area that need replacements much cheaper than fabricating a new one from scratch. They have plenty of miscellaneous that could be the oddball item you wouldn't find anywhere else. I support the mission, love the origin story and have both donated and bought plenty of stuff from them. However! The staff are often low-key antagonistic. The vibe is difficult to label and I don't want to be cavalier or careless in my attempt to share what I think is a real problem systemically in the culture of the place. There is an antagonism that I've experienced both in donating and in asking about pricing. In each the staff give off the vibe of edgy reactiveness as if you are intruding into private space and are a threat to personal belongings. Fwiw this is exclusively in the yard versus the warehouse. If you are a passive customer and don't ask questions or even hint you are surprised at the steep pricing then you will likely not notice what I'm talking about, but if you do at all it becomes increasingly apparent. Basically, they do not in any way seem motivated to move stock at all even the very old, very rusted and bent up tongs I was trying to buy. I brought up a couple of gas grill grates that were in a pile of metal scrap and he wouldn't sell them to me because he was confident I took them out of a grill. I didn't and though I told him exactly where I got it he continued to test me as if I did something wrong. Later he apparently checked and agreed to sell them to me at what appeared to be some kind of revenge pricing. $20 for two exceptional small 5"x12" grates. I could be tripping, sure, but it is the most consistent signal and it has been over many years. Donating stuff also was really weird. Zero gratitude, not even a polite insincere service worker "thanks". Items they didn't want were reacted to as if I were trying to donate soiled clothes or bags of dog poop. The place could be run much better and I'm sure make a lot more money by volume and do what it was meant to do and keep as much useable stuff out of the landfill. I will not go back not will I donate to them again; it just isn't worth it dealing with grumpy hipsters in their clubhouse. read more

BUYER BEWARE: this place has cool stuff but the prices are WAY too high for second hand. Furthermore, many times mechanical items are broken. I just went the other day to return something and they said no returns, even though the receipt clearly states "returns in 14 days" read more

Wonderland for finding random parts and things from your childhood. Super-8 projector - they had one. Random bike parts - there's a huge collection. Old door knobs and hinges to match the ones in your old house - they have them. A treasure trove. read more

Urban Ore - bike parts - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

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All these years, I didn't know this place was here. The prices were a slighter higher than I'm used to, but then again, they gotta pay rent and employees. I usually don't buy vintage because I watched too much ghostwhisper lol.. Overall, a cool place to check out. read more

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I was lured here by an Instagram post by influencer(and my former student/mentee) Francis Dominic who raved about a great book find and the fun he had visiting earlier this week. My daughter is a thriftaholic and when social plans fell through, I consoled her with a visit here. I found a cute vintage dress and a book by indigenous aurhor Cherie Dimaline while my daughter found an animal print top and gold snakeskin heels. We also enjoyed browsing their housewares section. As other reviewers have said, it does get chilly in that big airy warehouse so wear layers. Staff is super friendly and the playlist consisted of 60s classics that reminded me of my dad. We will definitely return to this treasure trove. read more

Urban Ore - We're here - Home & Garden Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was able to replace a pink toilet for a bath remodel and the client was very happy.

So far I haven't found anything I wanted to purchase, yet. Interesting items a bit pricey. Well organized inside. Staff is friendly they will answer your questions. I'll keep checking back from time to time. read more

The staff here are really nice and helpful. I didn't need anything but I've seen them help others that have questions and they guide them to where to possible find things. The place is organized by categories and you can find things pretty much where they say it is. You do have to dig but that is part of places like this especially if you are looking for something specific. read more

My home is older and I'm able to find things for it like hinges and fixtures.I'm always able to find something.

Smells bad, and lots of garbage/poor quality stuff but also a lot of gems especially in furniture

Interesting place with lots of hidden vintage treasures. You have to dig a bit, but that's part of the fun.

So if Fred Sanford had a heaven, this may actually be it. Urban Ore is one of those treasure hunt places we love. Founded in the 90's its roots go back way further than that. They were working on zero waste, recycling, up-cylcing etc before those terms were even trendy. It is basically a place where building materials are recycled and given a new life. It is a vast indoor/outdoor warehouse filled with salvaged building materials. From vanities to electrical gear they have a little of everything. It also is a thrift warehouse as well. Given its size and you predilections you can spend a whole day here picking through stuff. If you have specific needs ask. the staff is friendly but unobtrusive and stuff is litterally being processed in real time an put in inventory. read more

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Went to look for an antique door for a barn door in our house. Good selection and reasonable price. Found one!! Now I got to learn how to strip the paint!! read more

Seems like an awesome place to buy things. Unfortunately I never found what I wanted here. Most places in The Bay Area don't seem like this. People usually go to a place like Walmart or Target instead of a store like Urban Ore. It would be better if the hours were different at this place. read more

I love recycling and re-using materials to contribute to the environment which is why I go to Urban Ore. I have been buying things there for almost 10 years. Over the last 2 years the prices of windows, doors and building materials has Sky-rocked. Also the people running that department are not very freely and cooperative. A day ago I went to buy a used window I needed for a small project I am working on, the home depot price for that very same window was $275, they quoted me at $270 for the window. When I showed them the online price they said, " You are saving on the delivery time, plus we are better than home depot. Besides you don't have to take it, we have plenty of customers" read more

I really used to like Urban Ore. but alas, they have joined the "Goodwill jack up prices trend". Quoted $1500 for a $600 value bike. All furniture marked up ridiculously. Overall, so disappointed. Scratch off yet another thrift/re-use store off my list. Hardly any left nowadays... read more

Wonderful spot, brilliant in a very Berkeley way. Well worth a look around, they got damn near everything. And doors. Plenty of doors. :) People helpful & kind. I hope they remain in business for years to come! read more

This place is enormous and well worth the visit for the scenery, if nothing else. We visited on a particularly sunny day and the light coming into the warehouse made for a pleasant scene. If you're a student or artist (or perhaps both) trying to find reasonably priced furniture, building materials, set props and builds, various mechanic bits and bobs, books or CDs by the bulk, this would be my first and only stop. The clothing section is a bit small, but was worth a quick ruffle through. The star of the show really is its variety. As a Berkeley thrift, they're a bit more price-savvy than rural competitors may be, meaning "superscores" like a Breville Barista for $10 will be few and far between, but they more than make up for that in their furniture pricing and selection alone. Not to mention any wonders you may stumble upon amongst the heaps and piles of sorted objects strewn loosely about. It has practically everything, with a few standouts being a couple hand sanitizer stands (obvious post-COVID recycles from local establishments), 13 copies of the movie "Babe" on VHS (lined neatly in a row for your aesthetic pleasure), a Looney Toons reference written in sharpie cautioning the handling of a table, and, of course, a shop cat. Bob the shop cat, to be precise. I first encountered him upon my third, dazed loop of the building, perched atop an ottoman tolerantly receiving pets. Once the petter had moved on, I swooped in; keeping my scratches respectfully to his head, neck and back before yielding to the looming onlookers, who eagerly took my place. I circled the area like a vulture for a bit until they had dispersed, at which point I made my seat on the ottoman next to Bob, who began to loaf, entirely unmoved by my presence. (Pictures below.) At one point, an employee rounded the corner with gloves and cat bed in hand, intent on their mission. I relinquished my seat and observed them first attempting to coax Bob onto the cat bed--then, when that inevitably failed, gently pulling him backwards off the couch (which predictably resulted in Bob angrily protesting and biting the glove-protected employee.) Upon being released, Bob then sat swishing his tail and pointedly ignoring the employee as they prodded him with the cat bed--once they gave up, cat bed limply in hand, Bob looked over his shoulder to ensure they were gone before curling victoriously back onto the couch. I took some photos of his unrepentant and lovely face. He is such a small and cute grumpy little grandpa. Would most definitely return for Bob. read more

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I love this place's selection and the service has been great, mostly. I overheard at least one staff member talking about the recent strike and was disturbed. It's distasteful to call strikers spoiled, selfish etc. They should be able to strike and negotiate regardless. The reason we have any labor rights at all in this country, down to basics like a weekend of an 8-hour-day, is through action like strikes. I don't think I'm coming back unless I really have to. read more

This is one of those places that has whatever it is you need lol. I love coming here for furniture or random stuff. The prices are really good and you can find some very unique and beautiful furniture -- that's the beauty of second hand! It's a huge place with a large selection of just, things. I like to take my time and look through everything when I come here. From electronics, to vinyls, to clothes, doors, whatever they have it! There were two workers who helped me grab some heavy furniture and load it into my car so thank you for your help-- incredibly kind and did a great job! read more

This place has a lot of things for older houses and apartments. Not everything in here is a deal. Also dont have high expectation for getting assistance up in here. Its a great idea but only average in the delivery. read more

Definitely a thrifters heaven. Drove an hour to this store and was not disappointed. Will definitely be back to buy more. They have EVERYTHING here. read more